People are rightfully up in arms about the blatant references to date rape in Rick Ross’s new song, “You Don’t Even Know It.” I, too, am reeling because he’s only perpetuating the idea to kids that it’s cool to rape unconscious girls.

Clutch magazine online reports:

In the new song, “You Don’t Even Know It,” by Rocko, Future, and Rick Ross, the self-proclaimed boss drops a troubling lyric that shows he knows very little about rape. Just after he opens his verse, Ross raps:

“Put molly all in her champagne, she ain’t even know it / I took her home and I enjoyed that, she ain’t even know it.”

This would be gross and disturbing anyways, but, timing, dude. The horrifying incident in Steubenville is still ringing in our ears and here’s what looks like a direct reference to Jane Doe’s assault — and that of many others. Even if this isn’t meant to glorify the Steubenville rape exactly, it’s still a reminder of the kind of culture we and our children live in.

I know Rick Ross has no intention of being a role model given his history of assault and battery and gun and marijuana charges. I also know it’s irrational to pressure performing artists into being role models, because more often than not they make money on negative press and shock value. As long as they’re making money, they’re not going to stop being crude and insensitive. It’s our responsibility as parents to teach our children about real role models, like human rights activists, writers and artists, so they don’t look to pop culture for their morals.

However, this doesn’t keep kids from obsessively absorbing all kinds of music like junk food. And I don’t care how wonderful of a person you are—you hear this kind of stuff enough and it will get under your skin. It will desensitize you.

Truth is, I worry this kind of music will always be out there. As parents, the best thing we can do is to tune ourselves into it and talk about the lyrics with our kids. Dismissing it as “crap” or forbidding it will only serve to make this stuff more desirable. And, I suppose, one benefit of Rick Ross’s controversial lyrics is that they have opened up a conversation.

It means people actually care about the prevalence of rape in our culture, and people are willing to speak out against it.

Well Molly is ecstasy so I’m guessing he’s not talking about an unconscious girl… Now does that make it better, ah no. Promoting drugging your date to make her more fun is probably just as bad. I’m so glad my kids aren’t old enough to listen to this stuff yet.

Amanda Low

Right? Ugh. I really hope that boys, especially, who listen to this just brush it off and don’t internalize it.